The Co-Main Event MMA Podcast

When it finally arrived, UFC 249 weekend served-up a downright unwieldy number of storylines. From Jacare's positive coronavirus test to "The Waiver" to Justin Gaethje's surprise destruction of Tony Ferguson, we discourse.

It's here (we think). It's happening (maybe). It's finally going down (in a matter of days). UFC 249 fight week is upon us leading up to Saturday's revamped and (twice) rescheduled fight card. Are you ready? Is the world?

The UFC plans to do three events in Jacksonville, Fla., from May 9-16. Can that be safe? One way or another, we're all going to find out.

We discuss reports of Dana White's recent conference call with fighters booked on upcoming UFC cards, what an epidemiologist told Ben about how the UFC could get back to business in a safe way and what classic fights have listeners been watching to pass the time?

With UFC 249 officially postponed after Disney and ESPN bigwigs pulled the plug on Dana White's Grand Plan to Be a Man, we look at what we learned about White, Disney, ESPN, MMA fans, media and managers. Plus, what will the sport look like when it finally comes back?

We're told UFC 249 is a go. We're told the main event will be Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje. We're told it will be for an interim title. We're told the venue you will be ... wait for it ... "somewhere on EARTH." So, yeah.

Khabib Nurmagomedov is "stuck at home" in Dagestan, which makes him a lot like the rest of us, when you think about it. So, he's probably out, but the UFC insists 249 is still on. Plus, Jon Jones in trouble again.

Well, here's something completely different. This week, from self-isolation and without much MMA happening worldwide, we went back and rewatched UFC 1. It was weird. Then we talked about it.

Both our families are self isolating this week, which causes a number of challenges for the CME podcast. Still, here we discuss Charles Oliveira's win over Kevin Lee at UFC Brasilia, the UFC's weird declaration it will carry on in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and what will ultimately befall UFC London?

Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk tore the house down in their women's strawweight title fight at UFC 248. Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero? Weeeeeell, that's a different story. This week, we discuss those two fights and look ahead to a weekend full of MMA action.

Deiveson Figueiredo smashed UFC Norfolk's main event title fight when he missed weight last week. Then he damn near smashed the whole flyweight division by defeating Joseph Benavidez via second-round TKO. What's do be done? Also, we look ahead to UFC 248's two title fights.

What are Dan Hooker's prospects among the lightweight elite after defeating Paul Felder at UFC Auckland? Can Joseph Benavidez finally make good on his flyweight potential? Are we really doing Cejudo vs. Aldo? And did Ben consume too many edibles before the weekend's big boxing match?

Jan Blachowicz crashes the light heavyweight title picture with his three-minute KO of Corey Anderson, Diego Sanchez mystifies us with an unusual performance against Michel Pereira and, up next week, Paul Felder vs. Dan Hooker.

How about that UFC 247, eh people? Specifically, how about that thriller main event between Jon Jones and Dominick Reyes? On this episode of the CME, we discuss that fight, the judging controversy that has emerged after it and why Valentina Shevchenko is just too damn good.

Jonny Bones returns for the fourth time in roughly 13 months on Saturday to take on Dominick Reyes at UFC 247. If he wins, is this the last time we see Jones at light heavyweight? Can Reyes pull off the impossible? Is there anything else of interest on this card? These and other questions await.